Gold Coast United have cruised past North Queensland Fury with an easy 4-0 win at Skilled Park tonight. Bruce Djite returned to form with a first-half double before the returning Shane Smeltz made it 3-0 six minutes after the break.
The rout was finished when substitute Chris Harold scored his first A-League goal with six minutes remaining to help put his side just two points behind third-placed Central Coast Mariners as the hapless Fury were beaten for the fourth time in a row and remain rooted at the foot of the table.
A-League Week 23Gold Coast United: 4 (Bruce Djite 21'/43', Shane Smeltz 51', Chris Harold 83') North Queensland Fury: 0
Venue: Skilled Park, Robina Crowd: 1,800 Referee: Matthew Gillett Yellow card:GCU - Bas van den Brink 53' NQF - Ramazan Tavsancioglu 34', Jack Hingert 46', Eric Akoto 62', Adam Casey 77', Mark Hughes 86'
GOAL The opening goal came 21 minutes in when Bas van den Brink played a inch-perfect through ball for Djite, opening up the Fury defence, and allowing the former Genclerbirligi striker to take full advantage by easily slotting past Sebastian Usai to grab his first goal since October 1.
GOAL Djite doubled the lead just before half-time when Smeltz controlled the ball with his chest from a long ball before flicking it into his path and despite plenty of pressure from Fury defender Ramazan Tavsancioglu, Djite managed to knock it under Usai with a left foot to make it 2-0.
GOAL Not long after half-time, Gold Coast were three in front when Smeltz, in his first game back from Turkey, received a through ball from John Curtis and as the Fury were looking for an off-side trap, the Kiwi basically walked it in to the top of the area before slotting home for his 44th A-League goal.
GOAL The nail was struck into the coffin eight minutes from time when Chris Broadfoot found an advancing Harold with a lovely ball and the 18-year old did the rest to wrap up proceedings.
Starting Line-Ups
GCU Glen Moss (gk), Michael Thwaite, John Curtis, Bas van den Brink, Dino Djulbic, Adama Traore, Anderson, Steve Pantelidis (Caravella 14'), Bruce Djite (Rees 58'), Shane Smeltz (Broadfoot 70'), Chris Harold
Subs - Scott Higgins (gk), Zenon Caravella (14'), Kristian Rees (58'), Chris Broadfoot (70')
NQFSebastian Usai (gk), Eric Akoto, Mark Hughes, Andre Kilian, Jack Hingert (Storey 65'), Ramazan Tavsancioglu (Spagnuolo 46'), Brad McDonald, Lorenzo Sipi, Chris Grossman, Isaka Cernak (Casey 53'), Panny Nikas
Subs - Justin Pasfield (gk), Jason Spagnuolo (46'), Adam Casey (53'), Simon Storey (65')
